5 Transition tips from Highschool to College

I remember my first year of varsity, my first week. Honestly it was a week of hell. I thought I was going to lose my mind and simply walk away from it all. But pushing through and making it work was worth it.

It will always be worth it.

The key to a successful Varsity career is in finding your center, finding your piece zone and never letting anyone or anything take that away from you. Today I thought I can help you all out with these 5 Transition tips from Highschool to College

1. Ask for help, any help.

Entering a new environment is always stressful. You are now not only in a new environment, but you might even feel a bit alone and times. Asking for help in any way is more than understandable and reasonable.

If you are struggling with a subject or two then find the smartest student in class and ask for help. Otherwise you should ask your lectures’ intern, they should have a list of good tutors for the class. Most educators would prefer if you ask for help, before just dropping out.

If you need help in the social department, well then I suggest you take your friend – be brave – and go to as many socials as you can. If the party scene isn’t for you (it wasn’t much for me) then I suggest you consider the alternative social paths of varsity. A sport or a cultural activity can improve your social life creately.

Varsity is one of those institutions that has a bit of everything and everyone. Someone will be able to help, just ask.

2. Find your home away from home.

The biggest struggle is that many students never feel welcome, never feel at home. One of your number one tasks is to find your home away from home. This might simply be a tree in Campus or a small coffee shop. Finding that safe zone, where you can think, calm down and concentrate, feeling safe and secure is going to be your safe haven.

If you find yourself with unwanted accommodation then I ask you to please drop Mafadi a line. They truly have amazing student rentals availible. Living on Campus might work for some, but it might also not work for all.

3. Don’t be overwhelmed, time manage your new freedom

Varsity is all about discovering and exploring new aspects and interests. You will also discover new levels of hardwork and determination. This is part of your varsity degree process. But what you shouldn’t forget is that not getting the very best marks you can right away is also understandable.

You might find that the new course material is far more than you ever anticipated, and far more than in high school. This will add a level of stress and you will see your initial results might not be as high as you like. Remember you still have an entire year to improve on this mark. Just improve, take it day by day, starting early with the study schedule.

Get a dairy and use it by becoming an expert in course requirements and assignment due dates.

4. Mange your pocket money

If you are privileged enough your parents will most probably pay as much as they can for your varsity degree, this doesn’t mean that you can just go crazy with your pocket money. Being responsible with your pocket money is part of growing up and as such part of being a student.

You have to learn to manage you money.

Start by considering all your expenses, deducting that from your total sum of money will give you the luxury money. This is the bits of coin you can use for a beer and a burger from time to time. There are many money saving techniques available across the web. Take the time and find a financial management system that works for you.

Honestly you don’t want to beg for food scraps from your roommate at the end of every month, be responsible by making sure you always have a little bit of cash in reserve.

5. Make time for yourself

New environment, new people, away from home and love ones. All of these support pillars taken away can make you feel alone and fragile. This is normal and most of your class mate most probably feels the same.

The answer is that you need to take a moment or two and find your centre. Find that place within yourself where you can say stop, breath, embrace and calculate. Embrace your new environment, your new friends, your new unwanted lecture and the massive amount of course material. Calculate your next step to bringing order to the chaos, bringing the blood pressure down from the anxiety.

Make time to find yourself in the chaos of Varsity life.

Simply make the time to improve on the areas of your varsity life that you may struggle with. Find the support that will help you to become the success stories we all want to be.Varsity is suppose to be the best time of your life. Honestly it can be, but there are time that it will push you to the very edge. Your degree is suppose to do this, thus it is sheer determination that forces us graduates to have completed our degrees, I’m sure you have it too.

Written by Lizl Brink, Lizl is copywriter and designer based in Johannesburg, she is also a frequent contributor to the Mafadi blog, and as an Urban investor and rejuvenation shares a passion for urban regeneration, go check out her personal portfolio here